ARH 382 - ID List 11

ARH 382
ART OF THE SILK ROAD
WINTER 2004

ID Lists

ID List 11

Places

Qianfo Tong (Ch’ien-fo T’ung) – Lit. “The Cave of the 1000 Buddhas,” the colloquial Chinese name for the Buddhist caves of Dunhuang, but also applied to Buddhist caves elsewhere in China.

Buddhism

Apsara A divine being often depicted in Mahayana Buddhist scenes of paradise as retinues of celestial, flying beings; sometimes syncretic in nature, i.e. half-human, half-bird.

Kesa This is the Japanese term for the original Sanskrit word, kashaya, describing the humble garment of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. The kesa, worn by Buddhist monks, is a large rectangular piece of cloth sewn from discarded garments or remnants of fabric. In Japan, the kesa developed into a refined robe assembled from the most exquisite textiles available.

Apsara	A divine being often depicted in Mahayana Buddhist scenes of paradise as retinues of celestial, flying beings; sometimes syncretic in nature, i.e. half-human, half-bird.
Kesa	This is the Japanese term for the original Sanskrit word, kashaya, describing the humble garment of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. The kesa, worn by Buddhist monks, is a large rectangular piece of cloth sewn from discarded garments or remnants of fabric. In Japan, the kesa developed into a refined robe assembled from the most exquisite textiles available.